1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of internal combustion engines. In particular, the present invention relates to an internal combustion engine which achieves improved combustion through the use of improved valving systems, together with an improved piston design.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Internal combustion engines are well known in the art. Generally, such prior art internal combustion engines include one or more valves in the cylinder head of each piston-cylinder combination. Conventionally, the valves are poppet valves. These poppet valves reciprocally move from an open position--to either inlet fuel and air or outlet combustion gases--to a closed position--to seal the cylinder and allow for compression and ignition.
Conventional internal combustion engines of the prior art include a number of disadvantages which reduce their efficiency and cost-effectiveness. For example, most conventional internal combustion engines include reciprocal poppet valves in the cylinder head. Reciprocal poppet valves have a limited travel distance because the valve head must move into the interior of the cylinder. The movement is limited because of the need to prevent interference with the movement of the piston in the cylinder. As a result of the limited movement of the valve head within the cylinder, the entrance area of a fuel-air mixture, or the exhaust area of combustion gases, may be limited. This limit on the area of flow of a fuel-air mixture or combustion gases can have a detrimental effect on the fuel-air ratio in the combustion chamber during the compression stroke, and therefore can reduce the overall efficiency of operation of the engine.
Solutions have been proposed for improving the fuel-air ratio in the combustion chambers of an internal combustion engines. Such solutions, however, have not been completely satisfactory because they result in complex engine designs requiring complex maintenance, thereby increasing the costs of manufacturing and maintaining the internal combustion engine.